The growth of six core infrastructure industries declined to 5.6 per cent in 2007-08 from 9.2 per cent in 2006-07. However, in March , the growth in these sectors stood at 9.6 per cent compared to 10.5 per cent in March 2007, according to the latest data released by the Government here on Thursday.

CEMENT companies agreed on Wednesday to reduce prices by Rs 3-7.5 per 50 kg bag with immediate effect in most states. The reduction will be on the price prevailing on April 1, 2008. The move comes close on the heels of price cuts announced by the steel industry. The government, on its part, has promised to look at the issue of abatement of excise duty on cement.

India's $90 billion industrial corridor project is on track, and rising prices of steel and cement will not hamper work, industry minister said. It includes high speed rail freight lines, power plants to supply an additional 4,000 megawatt, three sea ports and six airports, 12 industrial clusters, 10 logistic parks and agricultural hubs. REUTERS

The licence of manufacturing of 17 out of 24 cement factories in country has expired, official documents obtained by The Nation revealed. A report prepared by the Pakistan Standard Quality and Control Authority (that renews licence) shows that the manufacturing licence of 17 companies has expired.

Amid rising coal prices, ACC

THE Binani Group is learnt to be in advanced negotiations with one of Indonesia's largest coal producers, PT Berau, to acquire a coal mine to feed its growing cement operations in India. The size of the proposed acquisition is estimated to be more than $100 million, according to sources close to the development.

IT APPEARS that steel, cement and power companies would have to dig deeper into their pockets if they want to do business with the Railways. In a major twist to the public-private partnership (PPP) model, the Railways have decided to ask all private companies involved in the partnership projects in the three sectors to pay at least 40% of the construction cost of the rail line.

Just a day after finance minister Chidambaram warned steel and cement manufacturers of tough measures if they did not desist from cartelization, government has done an extraordinary about-turn and said no evidence of such practices has come to light as yet. The extraordinary sequence played itself out within the space of a couple of days. Intervening during the debate on price rise in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Chidambaram said cement and steel firms were "behaving like a cartel' and added that the government planned to "break this logjam'.

Better industrial performance in sight.

Meghalaya Mining and Geology Minister Donkupar Massar has said that the mining policy would have to be strictly implemented to regulate unscientific mining in the state.